ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤLyra lay in John B’s bed, her body cradling a pillow close to her chest as she slept peacefully, undisturbed by the morning sun that streamed through her blinds. However, when the beam of sunlight hit her face, she stirred and groaned, feeling the effects of the two bottles of vodka she had consumed the night before. On a normal day, waking up was usually a simple task for Lyra, but not today.

ㅤㅤ“Damn you, John Booker Routledge.” She lets out a soft groan. John B must’ve intentionally left the binds open; he has often done that ever since she started slumbering at the Château, especially in his bed while he sleeps on a single-sized mattress on the floor. Lyra groggily sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and stumbled over to the window to close the blinds against the bright morning sun; as she was about to do it, she glanced at her phone screen to know the time.

ㅤㅤAs Lyra surveyed her surroundings, the absence of electricity and the lack of company in the room were the first things she noticed. She reaches out for her phone, only to realize it is out of service. A sense of unease creeps up on her as she starts to wonder about the extent of the chaos that Agatha might have caused. In an attempt to distract herself, she busies herself by fixing the bed she had slept on. As she steps out of the room, she spots JJ slumbering peacefully on the couch.

ㅤㅤ“JJ, wake up,”

ㅤㅤHis face contorts in agony as he frantically reaches for his shirt to cover it. A pitiful whine escapes his lips, “I will, but only if you give me the kiss you owe me,” JJ grumbled.

ㅤㅤLyra scoffs at his response and abandons the blond young man alone. She makes her way outside onto the porch and takes a seat on the wooden steps, gazing out at the surrounding landscape. The aftermath of Hurricane Agatha is evident everywhere, with debris scattered about and trees uprooted from the ground.

ㅤㅤ“Agatha did some work, huh?”

ㅤㅤLyra’s attention was drawn as JJ’s voice rose, standing behind her, and he directed his attention to John B. “What about the DCS? Wasn’t that today?” He questioned, his tone laced with curiosity.

ㅤㅤJJ extends his hand with a friendly smile, offering his frosty drink to Lyra. She eagerly takes the glass from his grasp, savoring the cool, refreshing liquid that dances across her palate. “Thank you,” she says with a bright smile as they stroll towards the dock.

ㅤㅤAs they approach, the sun glints off the water, casting playful sparkles in their direction. John B is hard at work, scrubbing the boat’s hull with a brush, the soapy foam lathering over the surface. When he catches sight of his friends, a wide grin spreads across his face, lighting up his features with genuine delight. 

ㅤㅤLyra, ever generous, extends the drink towards John B with a raised brow, but he shakes his head, laughter dancing in his eyes as he quickly declines. Just then, JJ, who has been lurking nearby, snatches the drink from Lyra’s hand with a playful tug, eliciting an exasperated huff from her as she rolls her eyes in frustration.

ㅤㅤ“Nah, they’re not getting on the ferry.” John B noted, “Come on, think about it. It’s God telling us to fish.” With a branch firmly held in his left hand, he raised it above his head as if to emphasize his point.

ㅤㅤLyra glances over at JJ, and in an instant, a mischievous grin spreads across both their faces. 

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

ㅤㅤ“Hey, Pope. Can you go a little faster?”

ㅤㅤ“Just accept it, JJ. Your trick never works.” Lyra let out a deep sigh and raised her drink, causing it to make a clinking sound as she tapped it gently against Kiara’s beer. She sat on the left side of the boat, adjusting herself to get comfortable, while Kiara sat on the opposite side, both taking in the serene surroundings.

ㅤㅤ“Oh really? Watch me, darling.” JJ answered back with his cringy and unpleasant attempt at a British accent. JJ strode into the middle of the bow, grasping a bottle in his hand, and proceeded to perform his trick, drawing everyone’s attention towards him.

ㅤㅤThe entire crew sat down, scrutinizing as they watched the beer fly into JJ’s mouth while some hit across the boat and some of the droplets were on their faces.

ㅤㅤ“Oh my God, you’re getting beer on my hair,” Kiara grumbled as Lyra chuckled at her reaction while they put their hands on their head as a shield.

ㅤㅤLyra’s frustration was palpable as she wiped the wet beer droplets off her arms. She desperately wished she wouldn't have to go back home smelling like beer, but her hopes were dashed when JJ’s careless actions resulted in a sudden and unexpected beer spill. “J, the beer is all over us. Get down here!” she exclaimed, hoping against hope that JJ would come and help clean up the mess.

ㅤㅤThe blond bloke glances back at her, “As you wish, mi amor.” JJ concedes, then sends a wink in Lyra’s direction.

ㅤㅤSuddenly, the motor started rattling, and something hit the bottom of the boat. It caused JJ to be propelled off the boat, twisting in the air before plunging into the cool water below, while Lyra and the others were thrown onto the boat floor due to the intense impact of the collision.

ㅤㅤ“Jesus, Pope!”

ㅤㅤLyra quickly returned to her seat, anxiously watching as JJ resurfaced from the water. A sigh of relief escapes her mouth.

ㅤㅤLyra asked Pope, “What the hell was that?” She glared at him before shifting her attention to JJ.

ㅤㅤ“Sorry,” said Pope as he gave Lyra an apologetic smile. He then asked JJ, “Are you okay, JJ?” John B was concerned about his friend’s well-being.

ㅤㅤ“I think my heels touched the back of my head,” JJ replied, wailing. He then turned to Lyra and asked, “Are you alright? Is everyone okay?”  while catching his breath. Lyra nodded in response, a thrift smile on her face, and JJ directed his annoyed gaze towards Pope. 

ㅤㅤ“Pope! What did you do?” JJ exclaimed at the man who was driving the boat.

ㅤㅤ“Sandbar. The channel has changed,” Pope replied to the blond-haired boy in the water, scratching the back of his head. Everyone, except Pope, laughed at JJ’s comment about how he saved his beer. Pope walked to the front of the boat, and said, “Guys, I believe there’s a boat down there.”

ㅤㅤ“There’s no way,”

ㅤㅤ“Shut up,”

ㅤㅤ“No way.”

ㅤㅤPope begins to point at the water, “No, no, guys. I’m serious. There’s like a boat down there.” He declared openly.

ㅤㅤKiara, John B, and Lyra are standing beside Pope, trying to get a better view of the boat that supposedly sank into the water. It turns out Pope was telling the truth because they could barely make out the outline of the boat’s roof on the surface of the water.

ㅤㅤ“Holy shit, he’s right… Let’s go.” Kiara acknowledged as she stripped off her clothes, leaving her body with only a bikini, the same with Lyra, while Pope and John B took off their shirts.

ㅤㅤKiara, Pope, and John B. were the first to join JJ on the water, leaving Lyra behind. “Come to Daddy, Lyra.” With a teasing smile, JJ raises his hands and beckons Lyra to leap into the refreshing water.

ㅤㅤ“JJ, first of all, ew.  Also, never say that again,” Lyra remarked before jumping into the water. JJ only grinned while the others stared at him with disgust and annoyance.

ㅤㅤAs five of them dove into the water, they swam towards the boat to investigate if anybody or anything unusual was onboard. The boat was a Grady White, as it was written on the side of it.

ㅤㅤLyra, who had never been known for her exceptional swimming skills, struggled to keep up with her friends and quickly found herself gasping for air. Fortunately, with his quick reflexes, JJ came to her rescue and pulled her up to the surface, allowing her to catch her breath. The sound of breaths and gasps filled the air as they all came up for air, relieved to have escaped the water safely.

ㅤㅤ“You guys saw that, right? That’s a Grady White.” JJ asked, seeking confirmation as he gently released his hold on Lyra’s wrist. 

ㅤㅤ“Well, you’re not the only one who has eyes.” JJ playfully frowned at Lyra as the others snickered at her sarcastic comment. The group then returned to their boat while JJ talked about the ship they had just seen.

ㅤㅤ“Yeah, yeah. That’s the boat I saw when I surfed the surge,” John B slipped, revealing to his closest friends what he had done a few days back. Everyone turned to look at him in shock and disbelief.

ㅤㅤ“You surfed the surge? John B, you could have died!” Lyra scolded him as if she was his mother. She knew how much of an adventure seeker John B was, but surfing a surge in the middle of a hurricane was beyond dangerous.

ㅤㅤ“Live a little, Ly,” JJ said, rolling his eyes. Lyra was unaware of what JJ was about to say next. “Now, that’s my boy. Pogue style,” he commented, praising his friend.

ㅤㅤJohn B nods his head, receiving a little bit of pride with what JJ recently said. “Ly, I’m fine. No need to panic.” He assured his friends as he looked at her and then at Kiara.

ㅤㅤ“What the heck?” Kiara whispered in disbelief, her mind struggling to process the new information that had just been revealed. 

ㅤㅤDespite her shock, the others seemed to have already come to terms with it. However, Lyra was clearly upset, although it didn’t last long. She began to consider the possibility that she, too, could have been with John B when he surfed the surge. But deep down, she knew she wasn’t brave enough to take such a risk. She’s a scaredy cat. In their group, she’s the most cautious one. She’s either the one who gets her friends out of trouble or is also causing trouble with them—no in-betweens. 

ㅤㅤ“Do we know whose boat that is?”

ㅤㅤ“No,” John B shuddered his head, reacting to Pope’s question. “But we’re about to find out.” He winks at his friends.

ㅤㅤWith a disdained look on her face, Lyra sneers at John B Routledge, who has never shied away from a challenge. First, he braved the dangerous waves by surfing a surge, and now he is diving into a shipwreck. Lyra can’t help but be curious about his next adventure. What’s next, embracing his inner pirate and embarking on a treasure hunt? 

ㅤㅤ“Dude, that’s too deep,”

ㅤㅤJJ’s comment takes Lyra aback, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. She notices a hint of fear in JJ’s voice, which is unusual since he’s known for being fearless and bold. “Am I dreaming, or did I just see fear in the eyes of the legend himself, JJ Maybank?”  she playfully taunts him, trying to lighten the mood.

ㅤㅤJJ’s face turns red, and he shakes his head in disbelief. “Fear? I laugh at the face of fear,” he confidently declares, hoping to end the teasing. However, Lyra and the rest of the group can’t help but let out a chuckle at JJ’s expense. Despite his bravado, JJ seems slightly rattled by whatever has caused him to show a hint of fear.

ㅤㅤ“Only for the weak and feeble, JJ.” John B grunts as he struggles to lift the anchor, but shortly after, he succeeds.

ㅤㅤ“Well, I am not resuscitating you. I’m just making that clear up front,” JJ expressed, which made Lyra snort. “Is there something funny, mi amor?” He crouched down next to her. 

ㅤㅤ“Is it a crime to laugh?” 

ㅤㅤAs the sun poured down, casting a warm golden hue over the deck, JJ sat on the deck, his gaze locked onto Lyra as she reclined on the bow, absorbing the sun’s rays. Her tanned skin glistened under the sunlight, and the oversized sunglasses perched on her nose only added to her effortless allure. Despite the intensity of his stare, Lyra remained oblivious, lost in her own world. 

ㅤㅤNoticing where JJ’s focus lingered, John B playfully smacked JJ’s back, a silent reminder of their unspoken code.

ㅤㅤYet, JJ frowned, clearly unimpressed. “Seriously, man, that’s the lamest rule ever,” he retorted, exasperation seeping into his voice. “And for the record, Lyra’s a Kook.” He rolled his eyes with a dramatic flair before running his fingers through his tousled blond hair, a habitual gesture of defiance. Unable to contain himself, he called out to her, his voice laced with a mix of admiration and audacity, “Black is sexy on you, Elyra Blair.”

ㅤㅤ“I know, Jackson James. Why do you think I wore this?”

ㅤㅤ“Um… for me?”

ㅤㅤ“Yeah, you wish,”

ㅤㅤWhenever JJ’s with Lyra, it’s like there’s a new side of him appears. It was a strange and powerful sensation, one he couldn’t quite explain. He was scared, yes, but it was a different kind of fear. A fear tinged with excitement, a thrill that he couldn’t resist. 

ㅤㅤ“Just wait until Klyd hears about that,” Pope pokes fun at the dirty blond man. Her three guy friends have always felt intimidated by the older Monroe-Aragon. Especially JJ, since he was the first to witness Klyd’s wrath.

ㅤㅤ“Guys, my brother is full of empty threats, he would never hurt any of you.” Lyra commented, changing the subject while still in her pose.

ㅤㅤPope’s face lit up with a smile as he began to recollect a past incident. “I remember when Klyd threatened us with the idea of sending you to a boarding school in Delaware if we let you get into any trouble,” he said, his tone indicating a mix of amusement and admiration for Klyd’s protective nature. 

ㅤㅤPope went on to tell the story about the day when Klyd had stormed into the Château, slamming the main door shut in anger while Lyra was at home, suffering from a high fever. The memory was etched clearly in Pope’s mind, and he shared it with a sense of fondness and nostalgia.

ㅤㅤOn that fateful day, the sky was overcast, and the rain poured down. It was the same day when young Lyra and her three little knights attempted to swim in a raging sea. However, Klyd later blamed the boys for the following mishap, unaware that it was Lyra’s idea to swim. 

ㅤㅤYoung Lyra had asked them to teach her how to swim accurately. Unfortunately, fate wasn’t in her favor that day. A storm was coming, and she accidentally stepped on a sea urchin, causing her to trip. The urchin’s spines buried deep into her delicate skin, and she almost drowned herself in the process. It was stupid, really. Thank God for the lives of JJ, Pope, and John B.

ㅤㅤ“Yeah! Pope, remember when John B peed on—”

ㅤㅤLyra’s face contorted in disgust as she remembered the day John B had urinated on her foot before removing the embedded spines. Although it was a revolting experience, it had proved beneficial for her injured foot at the time, although she wasn’t sure if there was any scientific explanation that it worked. Her mother, Kate, taught it, and luckily, the boys remembered it.

ㅤㅤHowever, Lyra had expected a specific answer, so she interrupted her friends, exclaiming, “Alright, alright, that’s enough reminiscing,” 

ㅤㅤ“John B,” Kiara mumbled; her voice was laced with worry. John B holds the anchor, “What?” He looks at her dumbfounded, anticipating for Kiara to finish her sentence.

ㅤㅤ“Diver down, fool.”

ㅤㅤJohn B saluted back at JJ, and Pope asserted, “Diver Down.”

ㅤㅤ“Yeah, he is,” John B sighs before he is pushed back into the water because of JJ shoving him.

ㅤㅤLyra’s mouth fell agape, “Really, JJ?”  JJ, seemingly unfazed by his actions, simply shrugs his shoulders and flashes his eyelashes at Lyra in a playful manner, causing her to roll her eyes in response.

ㅤㅤ“Anyone wants to tell me about the story of John B. peeing on Lyra?” The three childhood best friends, Lyra, JJ, and Pope, twirled their heads to Kiara and then to each other. Lyra rolled her eyes after hearing JJ laugh hysterically before telling Kiara the whole story. 

ㅤㅤKiara wrinkled her nose, a skeptical expression on her face. “So, let me get this straight,” she began, her voice dripping with disbelief. “You asked the guys to teach you how to swim on a rainy day, which was probably the dumbest idea ever. Then, you managed to step on a sea urchin.  And to top it all off, John B. peed on your foot to relieve the pain, which is just gross, but whatever. And then you got a high fever, and to make matters worse, Klyd, being the genius that he is, blamed three minors for your slight injury without even realizing it was your idea in the first place?”

ㅤㅤLyra couldn’t help but snicker. “Yep, that sums it all, Kie,” she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

ㅤㅤKiara’s face contorted into a mask of disgust. “Your brother’s a total ass, Ly.” Her rant continued for several minutes, an avalanche of words tumbling from her lips. But then, her voice trailed off, her anger replaced by unease, remembering John B. dived down on the Grady White boat.

ㅤㅤThe four teenagers stood on the shore, their eyes fixed on the crystal-clear water. They watched, as John B, a skilled swimmer, disappeared into the depths. Lyra’s heart was pounding in her chest as she thought about the danger he faced, running out of oxygen while exploring underwater. Her anxiety was palpable, but she didn’t want to show it to the others. 

ㅤㅤSensing her uneasiness, JJ placed a calloused hand on Lyra’s shoulder, his touch gentle and comforting. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “John B knows what he’s doing; he’ll be alright.” Lyra nodded and accepted JJ’s hand, which helped to ease her mind. 

ㅤㅤThe wait seemed endless, but finally, they saw a figure emerging from the water. It was John B, his face flushed with exertion but also with the triumph of accomplishing his task. As soon as John B emerged from the water, the four pogues, namely Kiara, Pope, JJ, and Lyra, bombarded him with a flurry of questions. 

ㅤㅤ“Any dead bodies?”

ㅤㅤ“Oh my God, that took forever!”

ㅤㅤ“Looting potential?”

ㅤㅤ“Are you alright?”

ㅤㅤAmidst the chaos, Lyra noticed JJ struggling to grab the anchor and offered to help. JJ, who was visibly relieved, openly accepted her offer.

ㅤㅤJohn B extended his arm and showed them a key with a yellow keychain. A hint of excitement on his face.

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

ㅤㅤAs the group of teenagers tried to report the shipwreck to the coastguards, they were met with utter disappointment. The headquarters were already brimming with a multitude of people, and the coastguards were seemingly oblivious to the teenagers’ attempts to report the incident. No one even spared them a glance.

ㅤㅤDefeated, the group decided to head towards a sketchy motel nearby. Despite its dingy appearance, the thought lingered in their minds that perhaps the motel had always been that way and wasn’t caused by Hurricane Agatha. 

ㅤㅤJJ whistles, “I thought the Château looks bad.” He stated.

ㅤㅤWhile Lyra, scantily offended, dramatically turns her head in JJ’s direction, “Excuse me?” Her eyebrows raised.

ㅤㅤ“It’s the truth! You know it to yourself, Ly, don’t even try to deny it.” JJ raised both of his hands in surrender, not wanting to engage in an argument with her. He had thrown those remarks just to provoke a reaction from her, and he had achieved his goal. 

ㅤㅤLyra couldn’t deny her love for the Château, but she also knew that JJ was right. The four of them had spent most of their childhood in that rundown bungalow and with the addition of Kiara when they were in eighth grade, it holds tons of both good and bad memories which held a special place in their hearts. No amount of wealth or luxury could ever replace the memories they had created there.

ㅤㅤ“Man, this place is a shitshow.”

ㅤㅤ“Motel or a meth lab?”

ㅤㅤLyra chuckles, “Maybe the latter, Kie.” 

ㅤㅤ“You two be the judge.” Pope acknowledged as he stood next to John B, who was now steering the wheel of the HMS Pogue. 

ㅤㅤ“Doesn’t look like a type of place somebody with a Grady White stays.” John B. asserted. 

ㅤㅤ“No, it looks like a type of place someone with a Grady White would get killed.” Pope rectified him as Lyra nodded in agreement.

ㅤㅤJJ jumped off the boat, clutching a rope in his hand to have the boat stay on a dock.

ㅤㅤ“All good?”

ㅤㅤ“Yeah, we’re good,” JJ responded, prepared to lend Lyra a hand as she climbed down from the boat.

ㅤㅤ“Hey,” Pope calls out for John B and Lyra’s attention. “Don’t let him do anything stupid.” He pointed his index finger as they whirled their heads to where JJ was.

ㅤㅤ“Oh, we will.”

ㅤㅤ“I’m not making any promises.”

ㅤㅤKiara and Pope’s sudden gaze towards her made Lyra feel uneasy. She knew what they wanted her to do—keep an eye on JJ. However, Lyra is notoriously bad at babysitting. 

ㅤㅤIn eighth grade, she lost the child she was supposed to watch at the beach because she got too caught up in JJ’s impressive surfing skills. She eventually found the child building a sandcastle, but JJ had to stop surfing to help her search for the lost kid. After that incident, no parents have ever asked Lyra to babysit again.

ㅤㅤLyra groaned quietly, realizing she had no choice but to comply. “Alright, fine. But I don’t make any promises,” she grumbled. She knew it was impossible to control JJ, who never listened to anyone. 

ㅤㅤ“Just keep an eye on JJ, especially him,” Kiara reiterated, turning to John B. JJ offered his hand to Lyra to help her off the boat, and the two waited for their leader to disembark. She handed over the key to John B, “Be careful. I mean it.”

ㅤㅤLyra’s discomfort was palpable as she watched John B’s reaction—it was awkward and cringe-worthy. Wanting to gauge if JJ felt the same way, she turned to him, and the disgusted look on his face confirmed her suspicions. 

ㅤㅤJohn B then broke the uneasy silence, “Let’s go!” 

ㅤㅤLyra and JJ complied without hesitation, following him to the motel’s second floor. 

ㅤㅤNearing the motel room, JJ decided to play a trick on John B. He snuck up behind him and covered his face with his hands, attempting to mimic Kiara’s voice in a strange tone. “Just be so careful, John B.” John B, taken aback by JJ, was shoved by him, “What the heck was that about?”

ㅤㅤ“I don’t know. Maybe she just wants us to be careful?” John B reasoned out, fixing his cap.

ㅤㅤ“Your reaction was epic, JB. Gosh, you were so awkward no wonder you’re single.” Lyra hysterically laughs.

ㅤㅤ“Yeah, it was so funny.” JJ agreed, then he continued to babble about Kiara’s abrupt display of fondness towards John B. “Just give me that, ‘John D’ already. Like, when are you going to swoop on that, man?” He told the first sentence with a frantic tone, then with his typical voice.

ㅤㅤ“Oh, gosh, JJ, I swear. Don’t talk about Kie like that!” Lyra let them have their bro moment as she strolled a few meters ahead of them.

ㅤㅤ“Dude, of course, I’m hitting on her. She’s a super-hot, rich hippie chick slumming in with us. Why? I can’t figure it out either, but who cares.” 

ㅤㅤ“Typical,” Lyra mumbled to herself, hearing what JJ just said. 

ㅤㅤJohn B sauntered closer to check on his best friend Lyra and asked, “Lyra, are you okay?” She flashed a bright smile and replied confidently, “Um, why wouldn’t I be okay?” Lyra couldn’t help but notice JJ’s intense gaze on her but chose to ignore it for the time being. John B acknowledged her answer, even though he wasn’t thoroughly convinced, and they proceeded to their mission. 

ㅤㅤOnce they reached the door, it was JJ who knocked, yelling, “Housekeeping!” No one answered the door, which was their sign that no one was inside. They tried opening the doorknob with the key John B found at the boat earlier today. As they expected, the key fits. 

ㅤㅤJJ unlocks the door, revealing a normal-looking motel room, “Check the bags and see—” John B’s instructions were halted by the sight of Lyra slamming herself to the mattress.

ㅤㅤ“Um, you were saying?” JJ crawled onto the bed where Lyra was lying, gently placing his head on her stomach. After a few seconds, he tapped her lap to signal that they should get back to what they came in for. Lyra whined, while she got off the bed and walked over to the black bag beside the door. As she checked the contents, she noticed a jacket.

ㅤㅤ“It looks good. Try it,” JJ said as he threw the jacket towards her. Lyra’s quick reflexes helped her avoid getting hit in the face.

ㅤㅤLyra picked up the jacket and threw it back at JJ. “No thanks. Take it, it’s yours,” she exclaimed. 

ㅤㅤ“Did you find anything?” John B inquired outside as Lyra and JJ were sent to check the bathroom.

ㅤㅤ“A really awesome Dopp kit that you and Lyra won’t let me steal,” JJ replied while Lyra snickered. He swiftly glides a deodorant stick into his pocket. He leaned closer to her and whispered, “So, about the kiss you owe me…” JJ’s playful tone and innocent expression failed to impress Lyra.

ㅤㅤ “Dude, shut up. I don’t owe you anything, especially not a kiss!” Lyra hissed, as she promptly exited the bathroom after slapping his shoulder with her hand, leaving him alone. She sat down on the edge of the bed just behind John B. He then proceeded to tap away at a small safe nestled inside the cabinet, entering a series of random numbers in the hopes of unlocking it.

ㅤㅤJohn B sighs, “There must be something valuable in it, but I can’t open it.” Lyra noticed a small piece of paper on the side table. She quickly grabbed it and handed it over to John B, who examined it carefully. 

ㅤㅤAfter a moment of silence, they shared a look, and Lyra spoke up, “It could work,” she said, her voice tinged with excitement.

ㅤㅤ“I hope so, Ly,” John B. sighed and began typing in a code on the safe next to them. After a few seconds, the safe clicked open, revealing a gun and a large sum of cash. 

ㅤㅤLyra’s mouth fell open in shock, and she couldn’t help but curse under her breath. Her reaction caught JJ’s attention, who had been sitting nearby, and looked over at John B. and Lyra with a questioning expression.

ㅤㅤ“Why? What happened?”

ㅤㅤJohn B. laughs, “JJ, you’re gonna want to see this.” 

ㅤㅤThe blond-haired young man sits next to Lyra, then stands and takes the gun from the safe. “This is a fucking spendy gatt, man.” JJ gushes over, and then he begins to play around posing like how actors pose on their movie posters.

ㅤㅤ“We are not stealing anything!” John B gritted his teeth.

ㅤㅤ“Just take a picture of me. Right here.” He initiated a pose, his hands occupied with a gun and a torch. “Do you have your phone with you, Lyra?”

ㅤㅤLyra quickly responded, “JJ, don’t even think about stealing—” Suddenly, Lyra heard a clicking sound coming from the window. 

ㅤㅤJohn B went to the window and peeped through the blinds. Lyra joined him and saw Pope and Kiara outside. They were jumping and mouthing the words “Cops!” in a panicked manner. The situation had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. He gawks outside at the window close to the door. “Holy shit!”

ㅤㅤ“What? Why?”

ㅤㅤ“The cops are coming, JJ,” Lyra whispered in frustration.

ㅤㅤJJ hastily shoved the stacks of money into his pockets, counting them as he did so. Meanwhile, John B approached the window, fumbling with the lock until it finally clicked open. He turned to assist Lyra in her escape, offering a solid hand to help her climb out of the small opening. 

ㅤㅤWith a sense of urgency, Lyra positioned herself against the rough cement wall, grasping tightly onto a nearby pipe as her life depended on it. The rusty and worn pipe seemed barely able to hold her weight as she clung to it for dear life. She wouldn’t know where her parents and brother would expel her if they got caught, and she honestly didn’t want to know.

ㅤㅤJJ was the last to step out of the window. He slid it closed behind him before he turned to assess the situation. His eyes darted to his right, where he spotted John B—his friend. Then, he shifted his gaze to the left, where Lyra stood, staring back at him. Her face glistened with sweat, and confusion was written over her face. JJ could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks. Without a second thought, he moved closer to Lyra, his muscular arms encircling her body as he pressed his chest against her back. 

ㅤㅤLyra’s breath caught in her throat as JJ drew closer, shutting down the gaps between their bodies. She could feel his warmth seeping into her skin, causing her heart to race anxiously and she was one hundred percent sure that JJ could feel her heart beating.

ㅤㅤ“What are they doing?” She mouthed at John B.

ㅤㅤ“Taking the money.” He mouthed back.

ㅤㅤLyra stood in front of JJ as they clung to a pipe. Suddenly, she felt JJ move, taking his left hand from the pipe to his pockets. Lyra’s heart skipped a beat when she heard an object falling into the ground.  “Of course, you took the gun,” she whispered, barely audible.

ㅤㅤJJ murmured into her ear, “You know me so well, mi amor.” he smirked. Lyra dramatically shut her eyes as JJ pinned his body on hers, hoping that they would not be caught.

ㅤㅤAfter a few seconds of intense silence, they heard the cop talking and the jingles of the keys approaching them. JJ and Lyra both held their breath as the cop came closer to their hiding spot. But to their surprise, the cop turned around and walked away, saying that no one was there.

ㅤㅤLyra could finally let out a breath she held earlier and felt relieved that the cops had not caught them. The trio then hastily left the motel, continuing their journey by walking back to where Kiara and Pope docked The Pogue.

•─────⋅☾ 𝔫𝔶𝔵 ☽⋅─────•

hello, hello, welcome to endgame and meet my new oc, lyra monroe-aragon.

happy reading! <33